THE COMMUNITY had seen very few Hispanic families in Shelbyville in 1993. The schools had no translators, and our curriculum had no English as a second language (ESL) courses. Leo Solis was a six-year-old in a new country surrounded by faces that looked different from his and hearing conversations that had no meaning to him. What he could understand, however, was the deeply felt belief of his family that the possibility of a better life was all around him.
“It was tough because there was nobody to translate. We were bullied on the bus because we didn’t speak English. At school, nobody spoke Spanish until they hired an ESL teacher, which helped out quite a bit. I was very blessed with teachers who really put effort and time into helping me learn and cared about my education,” Solis said in perfect English.
He believed the best way to honor his parents’ hopes for their new lives was to do his best in school. It was a determination that undergirded his goal-setting and life choices.
“I’ve always wanted to show my community, myself, and my parents that I was capable of doing good. We were immigrants with no other family here. My parents brought us here to better our lives and theirs, and I didn’t want to discourage or disappoint them,” Solis said. “It was kind of hard for me to focus, and that’s why I’m so proud of those primary teachers and elementary teachers [who] took the effort to get me where I needed to be. Because a lot of us were not well-liked here because of certain situations, I took it upon myself to show that I was able to be a good leader. I set goals in middle school, and when I finished high school, I tried to execute those goals. God has blessed me, and I’ve done a lot that I didn’t think I’d be able to do.”
Solis became a father at 18, adjusting his goals and future visions to best provide for his family. While he had dreams of college or the military, he quickly regrouped. In determining a career direction, he considered what lines of work offered services that would always be in demand and found his answer in the heating and cooling business. He learned quickly, though, after pursuing it for himself, that the overhead left little margin for profit. Never one to give up, he moved from the self-employment business model to work for another, this time in automotive sales and service.
He worked as a detailer for a Murfreesboro car dealership and soon found himself in sales and management for three lots. After attempting to invest in the company but without success, Solis recognized he could do more.
He said, “I was not making enough money at the time. I had a salary of $350, and I was getting $25 a car [commission]. But I learned so much and educated myself again. I improved my skills and learned how to do subprime lending, website management, software management, and handle car financing. After 10 years, they wanted to lower my pay. I wanted to get out and start my own business.”
Today Solis owns and operates local businesses offering car detailing, sales, automotive repair, and a body shop. After a slow start, he adapted and learned to operate more efficiently again.
“The reason I love the car business is that I like to help people get into that vehicle when others couldn’t get them approved. I like to challenge myself to help those that say, ‘I couldn’t get approved.’ A lot of these people just need a little mentoring to show them if you do this and that, you will be able to do it. A lot of the reason I’m successful is because I was willing to help them, and then the next go around, they were helping me, giving me business and referrals.”
Giving back by offering a fair service at a reasonable price is important to Solis.
“We do pretty much all [types of] mechanical work. We do brakes, rotors, oil changes, and alternators — anything mechanical in a car, we pretty much do. We also do detailing and collision repair, and that’s what’s different from other shops. I offer affordable prices to my community. We base it on what you can afford and structure scheduled payments at times because it’s tough now. I’ve been there,” he said.
And he’s found opportunities to give back to the community in other areas.
“One of the things I wanted to do is help out my community. I’ve sponsored the Boys and Girls Club multiple times, and I sponsor basketball and soccer teams. I feel very fortunate to be where I’m at in life. I’m willing to do what I can to help because I believe in God, and I want God to know that I’m doing good work for my brothers and sisters.”
Solis has come a long way from the little boy in a foreign town, but he’s never lost sight of the opportunities available. It’s his life’s work now to continue to create opportunities for others. GN
